Home

Welcome to Ohio PIRG

What's New

All
News
Reports

Blog Post | Democracy

IRS Scandal Highlights Need for Increased Transparency in Campaign Financing | Tabitha Woodruff

The IRS’s incomplete actions represent both an embarrassment to the agency and a threat to democracy. Furthermore, the rest of the federal government should use its authority to shine the light on dark money—the FEC must enforce its rules, the SEC must require business corporations to disclose their political spending, and Congress must pass legislation to ensure that every dollar spent on elections is disclosed to the public.

Add new comment

News Release | Ohio PIRG Education Fund | Transportation

New Report: Reduction in Driving Likely to Continue

COLUMBUS —As the average number of miles driven by Americans heads into its eighth year of decline, a new report from the Ohio PIRG Education Fund finds that the slowdown in driving is likely to continue. Baby Boomers are moving out of the phase in their life when they do the most commuting, while driving-averse Millennials move into that phase. These demographic changes will likely keep driving down for decades, according to the report, “A New Direction: Our Changing Relationship with Driving and the Implications for America’s Future.”

Report | Ohio PIRG Education Fund | Transportation

A New Direction

The Driving Boom – a six decade-long period of steady increases in per-capita driving in the United States – is over.

News Release | Ohio PIRG | Financial Reform

OHIOANS TELL SENATOR PORTMAN TO STOP CODDLING PREDATORY LENDERS AND BLOCKING CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION

That was the message of petitions delivered to Senator Portman today by the Ohio Public Interest Research Group (Ohio PIRG) and Empowering and Strengthening Ohio’s People (ESOP), both members of Americans for Financial Reform (AFR). The petitions, which call on the Senate to confirm Richard Cordray to a full term as director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, bore the signatures of more than 160,000 people, including over 5,000 citizens of Ohio.

News Release | Ohio PIRG | Transportation

Ohio PIRG Supports Overturning Cincy Parking Plan

With this many red flags, the parking proposal poses too many threats to the public interest and provides too little transparency. Cincinnatians should reverse the parking proposal on the ballot this November.

Pages

News Release | Ohio PIRG | Transportation

Ohio PIRG Supports Overturning Cincy Parking Plan

With this many red flags, the parking proposal poses too many threats to the public interest and provides too little transparency. Cincinnatians should reverse the parking proposal on the ballot this November.

Media Hit | Financial Reform

Cordray, bureau deserve support from senators

It is time for Cordray’s opponents to back off and let the CFPB do its job.

Media Hit | Consumer Protection

Bipartisan support growing for Brown plan to breakup large banks

WASHINGTON — During the final days of intense debate in 2010 over a bill aimed at preventing another financial meltdown such as the one in 2008, Sen. Sherrod Brown pressed for an amendment that would break up the biggest banks in country.

News Release | Ohio PIRG | Tax

Offshore Tax Havens Cost Average Ohio Taxpayer $700 a Year, Ohio Small Business $2,361

April 4, COLUMBUS – With Tax Day approaching, it’s a good time to be reminded of where our tax dollars are going. Ohio PIRG was joined today by Brian Rothenberg of ProgressOhio to release a new study which revealed that the average Ohio taxpayer in 2012 would have to shoulder an extra $700 in taxes to make up for the revenue lost due to the use of offshore tax havens by corporations and wealthy individuals.

News Release | Ohio PIRG Education Fund | Budget

Michigan Beats Ohio in a Landslide in Government Spending Transparency

Ohio received a “D+” when it comes to government spending transparency, according to “Following the Money 2013: How the States Rank on Providing Online Access to Government Spending Data,” the fourth annual report of its kind by the Ohio PIRG Education Fund.

Pages

Report | Ohio PIRG Education Fund | Tax

The Hidden Cost of Offshore Tax Havens

Federal taxpayers are not the only victims of offshore tax havens. Tax havens deprive state governments of billions of dollars in badly needed revenues as well. Based how much income is federally reported in each state, and on state tax rates, it is possible to calculate how much each of the state governments lose as a result of offshore tax dodging.

Report | Ohio PIRG Education Fund | Budget

Transparency in City Spending

The ability to see how government uses the public purse is fundamental to democracy. Transparency in government spending checks corruption, bolsters public confidence, improves responsiveness, and promotes greater effectiveness and fiscal responsibility.

Report | Ohio PIRG Education Fund | Democracy

Outside Spending, Outside Influence

The 2012 elections were by far the most expensive in history thanks primarily to the tidal wave of outside, special interest money triggered by the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision. The federal Senate and House races in Ohio, where outside groups spent nearly $41.3 million, were no exception.

Report | Ohio PIRG Education Fund | Democracy

Billion-Dollar Democracy

The first presidential election since Citizens United lived up to its hype, with unprecedented outside spending from new sources making headlines.

Report | Ohio PIRG Education Fund | Tax

Subsidizing Bad Behavior

BP’s recent $4.5 billion legal settlement with the Justice Department for its misdeeds in the Gulf oil spill was historic for being the largest ever criminal settlement. But it was historic for another reason as well—none of it is allowed to be tax deductible. Unfortunately, too many settlements for wrongdoing end up as tax deductions.

Pages

FIGHT HIGH Rx COSTS

Prescription drugs cost too much. Brand-name drug companies have been paying off generic drug makers to delay competition and keep prices high, and it's costing us billions. Together, we can stop them.

Learn more

TAKE ACTION
STOP TAX DODGERS

Corporate tax avoidance cost Ohioans $4.8 billion last year. We're working to close the loopholes that allow companies to avoid paying the taxes they owe.

Learn more

Take Action
Reclaim Democracy

The Supreme Court's Citizens United decision ushered in an era of unprecedented spending by big money in our elections, but we're working to return our democracy back to the principle of "one person, one vote."

Learn more

Add your voice
YOUR TAX DOLLARS BECOME CORN SYRUP

At a time when one-in-three kids is overweight or obese, over a billion taxpayer dollars go to high-fructose corn syrup and junk food ingredients.

Take Action

Online Action
Join Us
Donate

Priority Action

The CUT Loopholes Act would put an end to the price and profit shifting that allows publicly traded companies to engage in pervasive tax avoidance.

Consumer Alerts

Join our network and stay up to date on our campaigns, get important consumer updates and take action on critical issues.

Support Us

Your donation supports Ohio PIRG's work to stand up for consumers on the issues that matter, especially when powerful interests are blocking progress.

/* Site Analytics code end */